diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/AvatarPreviewActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/AvatarPreviewActivity.java
index 4982c2605f6..bc8e2172d13 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/AvatarPreviewActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/AvatarPreviewActivity.java
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 import android.app.Activity;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
-import android.content.res.Resources;
-import android.graphics.Bitmap;
+import android.graphics.drawable.Animatable;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.transition.TransitionInflater;
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@
 import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate;
 import androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar;
 import androidx.core.app.ActivityOptionsCompat;
-import androidx.core.graphics.drawable.RoundedBitmapDrawableFactory;
 
 import com.bumptech.glide.Glide;
 import com.bumptech.glide.load.DataSource;
@@ -109,31 +107,32 @@ protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState, boolean ready) {
 
       Drawable fallbackDrawable = new FallbackAvatarDrawable(context, fallbackAvatar);
 
-      Resources resources = this.getResources();
-
+      // Not asBitmap(), so an animated GIF avatar can actually play here.
       Glide.with(this)
-              .asBitmap()
               .load(contactPhoto)
               .fallback(fallbackDrawable)
               .error(fallbackDrawable)
               .diskCacheStrategy(DiskCacheStrategy.ALL)
-              .addListener(new RequestListener<Bitmap>() {
+              .addListener(new RequestListener<Drawable>() {
                 @Override
-                public boolean onLoadFailed(@Nullable GlideException e, Object model, Target<Bitmap> target, boolean isFirstResource) {
+                public boolean onLoadFailed(@Nullable GlideException e, Object model, Target<Drawable> target, boolean isFirstResource) {
                   Log.w(TAG, "Unable to load avatar, or avatar removed, closing");
                   finish();
                   return false;
                 }
 
                 @Override
-                public boolean onResourceReady(Bitmap resource, Object model, Target<Bitmap> target, DataSource dataSource, boolean isFirstResource) {
+                public boolean onResourceReady(Drawable resource, Object model, Target<Drawable> target, DataSource dataSource, boolean isFirstResource) {
                   return false;
                 }
               })
-              .into(new CustomTarget<Bitmap>() {
+              .into(new CustomTarget<Drawable>() {
                 @Override
-                public void onResourceReady(@NonNull Bitmap resource, @Nullable Transition<? super Bitmap> transition) {
-                  avatar.setImageDrawable(RoundedBitmapDrawableFactory.create(resources, resource));
+                public void onResourceReady(@NonNull Drawable resource, @Nullable Transition<? super Drawable> transition) {
+                  avatar.setImageDrawable(resource);
+                  if (resource instanceof Animatable) {
+                    ((Animatable) resource).start();
+                  }
                   startPostponedEnterTransition();
                 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/view/AvatarView.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/view/AvatarView.kt
index 29e43554d64..020ff88faef 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/view/AvatarView.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/avatar/view/AvatarView.kt
@@ -71,8 +71,10 @@ class AvatarView @JvmOverloads constructor(
   /**
    * Displays Note-to-Self
    */
-  fun displayChatAvatar(recipient: Recipient) {
-    avatar.setAvatar(recipient)
+  fun displayChatAvatar(recipient: Recipient, animateAvatar: Boolean = false) {
+    avatar.buildOptions()
+      .withAnimateAvatar(animateAvatar)
+      .load(recipient)
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/AvatarImageView.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/AvatarImageView.java
index b634b55fe83..8da1d6cee32 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/AvatarImageView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/AvatarImageView.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.res.TypedArray;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
+import android.graphics.drawable.Animatable;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@ private void setAvatar(@NonNull RequestManager requestManager, @Nullable Recipie
           if (wasUnblurred) {
             blurred = shouldBlur;
             request = request.transition(DrawableTransitionOptions.withCrossFade(200));
-          } else {
+          } else if (!avatarOptions.animateAvatar) {
             request = request.dontAnimate();
           }
 
@@ -340,6 +341,9 @@ private final class FixedSizeTarget extends SimpleTarget<Drawable> {
     @Override
     public void onResourceReady(@NonNull Drawable resource, @Nullable Transition<? super Drawable> transition) {
       setImageDrawable(resource);
+      if (resource instanceof Animatable) {
+        ((Animatable) resource).start();
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -349,12 +353,14 @@ public static final class AvatarOptions {
     private final boolean useSelfProfileAvatar;
     private final boolean useBlurGradient;
     private final int     fixedSize;
+    private final boolean animateAvatar;
 
     private AvatarOptions(@NonNull Builder builder) {
       this.quickContactEnabled  = builder.quickContactEnabled;
       this.useSelfProfileAvatar = builder.useSelfProfileAvatar;
       this.useBlurGradient      = builder.useBlurGradient;
       this.fixedSize            = builder.fixedSize;
+      this.animateAvatar        = builder.animateAvatar;
     }
 
     public static final class Builder {
@@ -365,6 +371,7 @@ public static final class Builder {
       private boolean useSelfProfileAvatar = false;
       private boolean useBlurGradient      = false;
       private int     fixedSize            = -1;
+      private boolean animateAvatar        = false;
 
       private Builder(@NonNull AvatarImageView avatarImageView) {
         this.avatarImageView = avatarImageView;
@@ -390,6 +397,11 @@ private Builder(@NonNull AvatarImageView avatarImageView) {
         return this;
       }
 
+      public @NonNull Builder withAnimateAvatar(boolean animateAvatar) {
+        this.animateAvatar = animateAvatar;
+        return this;
+      }
+
       public AvatarOptions build() {
         return new AvatarOptions(this);
       }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/ConversationSettingsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/ConversationSettingsFragment.kt
index 2edd3726287..7caba86bd4f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/ConversationSettingsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/ConversationSettingsFragment.kt
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@ class ConversationSettingsFragment :
           .withQuickContactEnabled(false)
           .withUseSelfProfileAvatar(false)
           .withFixedSize(ViewUtil.dpToPx(80))
+          .withAnimateAvatar(true)
           .load(state.recipient)
 
         if (!state.recipient.isSelf) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/preferences/AvatarPreference.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/preferences/AvatarPreference.kt
index 3ff63e0512d..4ee93cb2d7b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/preferences/AvatarPreference.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/settings/conversation/preferences/AvatarPreference.kt
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ object AvatarPreference {
       }
 
       avatar.setStoryRingFromState(model.storyViewState)
-      avatar.displayChatAvatar(model.recipient)
+      avatar.displayChatAvatar(model.recipient, animateAvatar = true)
       avatar.disableQuickContact()
       avatar.setOnClickListener { model.onAvatarClick(avatar) }
     }